The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-07-08
BILL NYE AND THE moKMoNs.
The Western Philosopher Takes a Glance at
the Elder on Exhibition.

The Western Philosopher Takes Glance at
the Elder Exhibition.
New York World.
The great summer attraction at the Museum
seems to be Mormon aggregation under the
auspices of Elder Joshua Baker. Elder Baker
is accompanied by three wives and pianist.
Joshua Baker was born in Kentucky. and after
wards moved to Alabama In the latter State
he was for some years Methodist preacher, but
at the age of forty five light suddenly broke IN
on his dark-end understanding, and he en- braced
the blessed promises and breaches of promises
incident to Mormonism. He then went TO Utah.
where one country, one flag and one wife at
time is not the motto. He then entered into
polygamous relations with several additional
wives, until he had acquired enough to maintain
him IN comfort.
Elder Baker sits calmly in Bowery museum
during these long. not days, and by the sweat OF
his brow tries to earn an honest livelihood by
advertising his assortment of infamy. He may
be found there a raised platform, also on bail.
Under the Edmunds law he was arrested on the
charge of polygamy and served three months.
SO that he now comes to US rested and refreshed
from 8 ninety days of quiet in the Zion pen.
naS.n p.ooa .,,coess ;u ,iss nav here state
that Elder Bakers head is not large. His ears
powerful and we'll balanced, but 1t would
take three or four brains like his attract the
attention of a hungry mackerel Apparently
Elder Baker only uses his head to keep his ears
from falling apart.
l attended the morning services at the Nor
mon Tabernacle at Salt Lake City five years ago.
but do not remember having seen Josh at that
time. Something about him, however, called
up memory of the occasion. Probably it was
a certain air of repose and miasma that seemed
to Turk around HIM.
The Baker family, according to the programme.
consists of twenty -four children. four wives and
one husband, but under the new law the Elder
has made an assignment of all his wives but one.
She readily be distinguished by the look of
deep gloom which she wears. The others are
neither maids. wives nor widows to any marked
degree but pose as matrimonial mugwumps,
and look upon their herd OF thin. wailing chill
dren with apparent regret
Josh wears full beard, cropped close, but a
long and searching look up his coat-sleeva did
not reveal any evidence of a shirt. He is rather
tail and wiry in build. with feet that must have
materially retarded the growth of grass in Utah
while he there.
The old man occupies end of the exhibit
ton hall, surrounded by his wives and his feet.
His children fill up the intervening space be-
tween the end of the room and the Railway
girl, who still dumbly appeals to the spectators
to come forward and identify her so that she can
go away.
The courts of Utah assigned to Elder Baker
a wife large, powerful woman about eight
teen handa high. whose hair insists upon Tn
winding l,ss!f and sticking out like the tall OF a
disabled steer in fly time. The two other wives,
who have been retired on half pay. are not form
ing part of the Elders family circle at present,
but assist at the exhibition for old acquaintance
sake. They not strikingly beautiful and
probably will not marry again unless there
should be great mortality among all the other
women in the world. In that case some man
who doesn't care much for beautiful scenery
might between lucid intervals. marry the more
attractive of the two The other will
probably remain in statu quo, rounding up the
thriving young founding asylum bestowed upon
her by Joshua a slight testimonial of regard.
A photograph of Elder Baker and his family
looks like the picture of a prosperous reform
school in its senior year. l could hardly refrain
from wishing that the old man had kept house
this summer down by the rip-roarins sea, where
/ could have gone and boarded with him and
felt the refining influences of home life. Twenty
four children and ten mavericks who would be
willing to leave their bread and molasses in fine
chairs would make man with pair of
light, sensitive trousers stick to simple diet all
summer. BILL NYE.